Meet Greg McElroy, the man who may steal the job of Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez

Dec. 3, 2012
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New York Jets quarterback Greg McElroy talks during a post-game news conference after of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. / Bill Kostroun, AP

by Chris Chase, USA TODAY Sports

by Chris Chase, USA TODAY Sports

On the heels of a scintillating performance that included five completions for 29 yards, second-year quarterback Greg McElroy may have snagged the coveted position as New York Jets punching bag quarterback from Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow (Rex Ryan didn't say at Monday's press conference). Big things happen in New York when you beat the Arizona Cardinals 7-6. But who is Greg McElroy, the would-be usurper?

Led Alabama to a national championship in the 2009-10 season: To NFL fans, all those BCS title games blend together. That was the one in which Colt McCoy got hurt early, 'Bama took a big lead, but Texas came back and hung around long enough to delay Nick Saban's preening for a bit. The main thing you'd remember about McElroy is that he hadn't lost a game since eighth grade. He'd go on to suffer one in the 2010 season to South Carolina.

Was best known in NFL for his postseason rant about Jets locker room: McElroy blasted the Jets locker room last January following his rookie season. He said there was a "corrupt mind-set" among "extremely selfish individuals" and said the team would have to learn from its "trials and tribulations."

Is smart: McElroy interviewed to be a Rhodes Scholar in his senior season. He didn't make the cut of the final 32. Later, McElroy scored a 43 out of 50 on his Wonderlic test, hence the use of phrases like "corrupt mind-set" and "trials and tribulations."

Last name isn't spelled like the similarly-surnamed golfer. It's Greg McELROY. Think of the kid from The Jetsons if you're confused.

Also uses Twitter to preach to followers: About Alabama football, that is. Six of his last seven tweets have been about the Crimson Tide. Five have referenced the rallying cry "Roll Tide.' None included a Bible verse.

Speaking of Alabama, how can you tell him apart from other QBs? All the 'Bama quarterbacks tend to blend together. If I put McElroy, A.J. McCarron, Brodie Croyle and John Parker Wilson in a police lineup, you'd think the only discernible way to tell them apart would be by their Croakies. McElroy is the only one in that group to hail from outside Alabama; he's from Los Angeles.

People do not care about his relationship status: Google search results, as of Dec. 3, 2012: